


Lush

by RobinTrigue



Category: Midsommar (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Retail, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Gore, overfamiliarity in the workplace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24578302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinTrigue/pseuds/RobinTrigue
Summary: When you work at a popular bath-bomb and shower supplies retail store, it's like you're part of a family. Dani has found herself fitting right in.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	Lush

**Author's Note:**

> [Email your local representatives](https://defund12.org/)   
>  [BLACK LIVES MATTER](https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/)

From the balcony, Dani watched Inga pull up a chair next to Mark's table in the food court. It gave her a strange feeling in her belly, even though she was only a part-time employee. She decided - as she had been increasingly finding herself doing - to seek out Pelle. He was behind the register, going through the big accounts book.

"Hey, umm, Pelle... I just wanted to apologise again for what happened earlier. He's a friend of Christian's, and I know he's a bit of a douchebag, but - "

"Mark?" Pelle laughed. "I thought it was a bit funny, actually. I have certainly done worse things than pissing on the shampoo bars when I am drunk. I don't think the big boss enjoyed it though."

Whenever Pelle looked at her, he looked _right_ at her eyes. His eyes were so brown and soft and gentle. Dani shook her head a little, to get the distracting thoughts away.

"Yeah, I guess I just didn't want you to think I - I know I'm new here, but I really care about this job."

"Dani..." He closed the huge leather-bound book and took her hands in his. With any other boss it would have been creepy, but Dani felt so safe with Pelle as her manager. "Why do you always do this? Putting yourself down as if you are not important."

"I do?" she asked, staring into his eyes again.

"Of course you do. You don't even realise that you are on course to be salesperson of the month?"

"What? No, haha." She pulled away. "That's not me, it's Maja or something."

"Your numbers speak for themselves," Pelle said.

"It's just the Coachella collection, it's popular," Dani mumbled. Pelle shook his head.

"Someday, Dani, you will realise we are happy to have you here."

She did become employee of the month, and she was surprised when everyone wanted her to stay for the after-hours party on Independence Day. "We work late, we play late," Karin had explained. "You must stay, it's a party for you also! Isn't your birthday soon?"

"Yeah... How did you?"

"Your birthday is in your file, silly," Karin explained, and Dani did feel very silly. But she was still surprised that anyone would have checked that, or remembered it. Should she have been remembering her coworkers' birthdays? She felt very ungrateful, but Karin had pulled Dani into a hug before she could apologise.

"You need to relax, Daniella," she said, "it's going to be a busy day." Dani couldn't help smiling into her soft, mint-scented hair.

It was a busy day, easily the busiest one since she'd started working at Lush, even without Mark hanging around trying to eat the soaps. Dani was dead on her feet by the end of the double-shift, and therefore surprised she didn't say no when tugged into the breakroom for cake and alcohol.

"Unless you need to go home to Christian...?"

"He's out with the guys tonight, some tradition they all do with fireworks and the van..." She took the solo cup of beer. Maybe she did need a drink after all. "It's fine. Are we really allowed to do this here?"

Pelle smiled at her. "The head of mall security went to college with me, we were roommates; he doesn't mind if we stay after closing every once in a while."

"Oh. Good. Hey, this is really nice beer, what is it?"

"Do you like it? I am so glad!" His eyes were sparkling. "I made it myself, I have a bit of a brewery at home."

"Really? That's amazing!"

"Thank you for thinking so; it was something taught to me by my father before he passed." Normally, Dani knew she would be freaking out when someone said something like that, but today she was tired; or maybe it was the beer, or maybe it was Pelle's hand on her arm. Whatever the explanation, instead of breaking down and excusing herself, she let Karin draw her into the open space where the chairs and tables had been pushed aside. Ingemar, the other manager, had the bluetooth hooked up and it was mostly songs Dani remembered from high school. She didn't even know how much time had passed between the dancing and her finally sitting down again, feeling somehow more energised than before, next to Inga.

"How are things going with you and Mark?" she asked. "You were talking to him the other day, right?"

Inga looked her up and down - it felt like a long pause, but it was hard to say, since Dani's head was spinning so much. "Can I show you something?" she said.

"Sure. Show me what?"

"In the supply room. I have to get the key from Ingemar."

Dani was tripping over her own feet a little, giggling about it, and completely unprepared for the spectacle that was before her. She shrieked, stumbled backwards, laughed a little in fear and absurdity, then turned to Inga with wide eyes.

"It is very unfortunate," came Pelle's voice from behind her. "He fell, two days ago, by the escalators."

"He - what?" Dani couldn't process this. There was a gap in the railing over there; she herself had been hired only after a previous employee had met the same fate. She'd tried not to think about it. But it was hard not to think about it when Mark's pale corpse was staring her in the face, draped across the boxes of solid perfume and shower melts. "Two days ago, why is he here, why didn't someone call -"

"We tried," Inga said. "But the mall would get shut down if there was another accident, and we coudln't put all these people out of their jobs, Dani."

"We've been calling his parents, but they don't pick up," Pelle explained.

Dani felt nauseous again. She wanted to look away, but she couldn't. Her feet managed to turn, trying to get her to run, but instead they carried her into Pelle's warm chest. He hugged her and made soothing noises. She could feel Inga stroking her head like she was a cat, soothing her through her tears.

"There, there," Pelle whispered. "I know, it's a lot. I feel this way too, I know." Nobody rushed her. She was able to cry until she didn't need to cry anymore.

"May I show you something that calms me down? Because I also struggle with death," Pelle said, his eyes holding hers like always. "You do not have to stay, but I think it might help."

"What?" Dani asked, hating how blotchy she got whenever she cried.

Pelle picked up the soap-carving knife, the one with the sharp point which they sometimes used to make soap flowers for the displays.

"Here. Take it in your hand, it's okay." He reached out to the body, tugging it closer. It slumped onto a lower set of boxes with a thump. "See, Dani, you can take the tip, and put it into his wrist there?"

Her fingers went loose and she almost dropped the knife, but he held his warm, big hands over hers so it was secure.

"Remember, Mark destroyed $1,300 worth of merchandise," he whispered into her ear. "His blood is still now, so we need not worry about mess. And you slide the blade all the way up..."

Dani slept fine that night, and the next one. Pelle had been right: interacting with death directly made it less upsetting. But that didn't mean her life was free from nightmares.

"No, I know, I know it was an accident," she said. "I know it was an accident and I forgive you, I'm just working right now - I'll meet you in the parking lot later, okay?"

"Feels kinda like you don't forgive me," Christian grumbled, but he left anyway. Dani barely had time to put her head down onto the cash register in frustration before Pelle approached.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I should give you space - I only wanted to give our employee of the month her birthday gift card, but I believe I am interrupting."

"No - no, you're not, no - thank you. I appreciate this," she said, and meant it.

"Karin told me what happened," Pelle admitted. "I am so sorry... I cannot blame Maja, for I know she wanted a baby, but Christian should have known better. Especially to not do it on the Seafoam Summer display."

"I dunno, I... I've been working late, and..."

"You have been working late, but he is cruel. He should admire you, not harm you," Pelle said, and his voice was so gentle and firm that Dani felt some kind of weight lifting from her shoulders. He was right, after all. Why was she forgiving Christian? He didn't even seem to realise he'd cheated on her birthday.

"Now, listen," Pelle said. "I have been talking with the others about this - we care about you, you know? When you work here, you are like our family. If you want to take the day off we will understand; I will make it so you are still paid for the full hours. But with your permission, Karin and I were suggesting we could pull a little prank later, when Christian comes to meet you afterwards."

Dani hesitated. The word 'prank' seemed too mild for what she felt, the years of irritation bubbling over into seething rage. But she loved Karin, and Pelle - Pelle was the best boss she'd ever had.

"What kind of prank?" she asked.

"Did I ever tell you -" god, his smile was infectious "- that my uncle has a bear?"

"A bear?!"

It made Dani glad that Christian had to wait. He kept pacing around the parking lot, kicking at stones and checking his phone. Probably looking for updates from his little sidepiece. Not that he'd be getting any; Maja had already apologised to Dani and promised she had no interest in sleeping with Christian again. But it wasn't only spite that made her keep him waiting; the bear's thick skin was tougher than Mark's had been, and the fresh entrails were messier. She was grateful that the mall staff let them stay after hours, because it would take them a while to clean up - though the other employees had volunteered to help, which was kind of them.

When she went out there it was pretty easy to press the chloroform to Christian's nose; they had some in the back for cleaning. He woke up halfway through, but Karin and Inga held him down pretty easily while Ingemar helped Dani with the thick needle and wire. Pelle was busy moving all the display tables towards the back wall; the essential oils would help the burn, but they didn't want the soaps to melt. When everything was ready - Christian struggling against his gag in a bloody, hairy, fragrant heap on the speckled vinyl flooring - Karin handed her the book of matches.

"Dani? It's up to you to do the honours."

Dani thanked her, and lit it with her blood-caked hand.

**Author's Note:**

> [Email your local representatives](https://defund12.org/)   
>  [BLACK LIVES MATTER](https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/)


End file.
